This invention relates to the field of elevators, and, in particular, provides an elevator car having an improved mechanism for controlling the elevator door.
The elevator doors of the prior art are powered by a motor mounted above the elevator car. An elaborate set of pulleys and linkages provides a connection between the motor and the door. In commercial elevators, there are generally two doors, an inner door and an outer door.
The arrangement used in commercial elevators of the prior art is not economical for use in residential elevators. The components of the elevator are heavy and bulky. In the event of a power failure, it is very difficult to open the elevator door.
Elevators used in residential environments are generally smaller and simpler than their commercial counterparts. There is a need for a simple, reliable, and relatively inexpensive drive mechanism for the door. The present invention provides such a mechanism. With the elevator door of the present invention, one can easily open the door manually in the event of a power failure. The construction of the elevator door of the present invention is simple, comparatively inexpensive, and safe.
The door mechanism of the present invention also has the advantage that it is highly modular, and can be used to retrofit existing elevators having a variety of configurations. The present invention is sufficiently compact for use in a residential elevator, but it could also be used in commercial applications.